Head and Neck (Oral) Cancer Risk Assessment Tool

Neck and Head Cancer (Oral Cancer) is a deadly disease. It needs more attention than ever because of the increase in incidences. World-wide 5-year survival is only 50% due to delayed intervention with more than half of diagnoses at stage III and IV, whereas earlier detection (stage I and II) yields survival rates up to 80%–90%. So, the scope of early stage assessment and health screenings are obvious.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), includes cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx, and affects 550,000 people world-wide each year. In India, oral cancer, defined here as cancers of the oral cavity and oropharynx, is the most common fatal cancer in middle-aged men. Screening for HNSCC in India reduced oral cancer mortality by over 80% in tobacco and/or alcohol users.

The main risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol use, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection (4–6). The incidence of oral cancer is rising with the increasing incidence of HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer. Laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers are often grouped with other cancers of the mouth and throat (commonly called head and neck cancers).

A risk factor is a characteristic, behavior, or condition that raises the possibility of developing a disease. The biggest risk factors for head and neck cancer are tobacco and alcohol use, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infections.